My name is [name withheld] and I am the Academic Affairs Director at [name withheld]. I am writing this letter to give my highest recommendation to Michele Kerr for a teaching position in the academic year 2009-2010. Michele has taught ,name withheld] for the past three years, through her contract with Kaplan, and has prepared them for the ACT, SAT I and SAT II subject tests.

A little bit about us: [name withheld] aims to be the catalyst for change for under-resourced high school students who are motivated to earn a college degree. Our students are primarily low-income, ethnically diverse students who reflect the communities in which they live and who are drastically underrepresented at colleges and universities across the country. All of our students fall into one of these categories: first-generation college bound, minority or come from low-income families. They attend large, comprehensive high school including [names withheld] as well as charter schools such as [names withheld]. Many students start out with low ACT scores of 15 and are able to raise their scores by 24% or more. High scorers improve dramatically as well. After the ACT class, Michele works with our UC-eligible students to prepare for SAT II's. Several students have not yet completed the math, including trigonometry, in their high school class. Michele equips them to tackle these problems as well.

Michele's strengths include her strong skills in classroom management, her ability to involve each student and get them to engage in the material, and most importantly to motivate students with low confidence. Many of [name withheld] students come into the class intimidated by the first practice test and feeling that they cannot do the work, or, facing pressure, they lack the skills to focus in this 4-hour exam. When they become frustrated, many often want to fool around, or disengage in class. Michele is skillful at finding different methods to get them to tackle the material. For example, in math, if the problem asks to find the length of the side of a triangle, Michele teaches the Pythagorean theorem, then also explains how to use angles and ratios to get the same result. She is determined that each student "get it" and checks for comprehension by calling on all students, reluctant or not. If a student doesn't answer, she is persistent and rephrases the question so s/he has a way "into" the material. Juniors currently in the course comment that she "has a passion for teaching", "finds the time to help everyone", "resourceful and committed to our success, because she arranges to give us extra help," for example, to one-on-one help for the SAT I that one student plans to take.

I have observed her individually give students specific, pointed advice for practice tests and her timed drills are very effective; she is excellent at diagnosing the key reason for each student's problems. With stronger students, Michele differentiates instruction and gives alternative assignments, so they are not bored while the class reviews material they have mastered.

Above all, Michele's strength teaching the material at the each student's level, whether it's math, reading comprehension skills, or grammar. Michele's explanations are clear and she involves each student in the class in eliciting answers. She makes sure that even the weakest students are not lost in the material, so that they can continue to believe in themselves. With the weakest students, she teaches the test mind-set. She uses their own early test results, and the data about past [organization] students that she keeps on her website ([20092008, 2007]), to demonstrate to students how far they have come and how far they are capable of going. During practice tests, she urges kids not to distract others, emphasizing that they are here to support each other. She is committed to the social justice nature of her work.

The students connect to Michele and feel that she gives them unique support that no other teacher has. They come to see her as their coach, and the students know she will be hard on them when she sees them being lazy or unmotivated. The students appreciate Michele's candor, as she takes no excuses and can be tough with them. Michele has worked collaboratively with me and the other academic staff, ensuring that a student hears a consistent message of high expectations, and receives all the support he or she needs to "make it" on test day. She has also given a parent important advice about a student's learning disabilities, how it will influence the student's testing, and how to petition for accommodations.

I am constantly amazed at Michele's versatility and tireless energy. This year, she has taught our classes at [name withheld] while completing the rigorous fall and winter quarter at Stanford and taught her PACT material as part of her student teaching. Michele has also frequently volunteered to teach for free when the course ended.

In short, Michele is an experienced teacher, and while she is only now receiving her credential, her ability and skills surpass teachers who have taught for many years. I have recommended her to [name withheld], a charter school that is starting its own ACT class with their first graduating class. I recommend her without reservation for a full-time teaching position in public schools serving minority and low-income students.